Lactation Support

Do you feel overwhelmed and confused when it comes to breastfeeding? You're not alone.

Through a prenatal and a postnatal session our Lactation Support Consultation will answer any questions and address any concerns you may have.

During your prenatal consultation at your home or during a breastfeeding class our IBCLC or RN Lactation Counselor will provide insight on what to expect and how to prepare for nursing your new baby.

During your postnatal consultation we take an in-depth approach and assess the needs of mom and baby. We'll provide evidence based, effective counseling so you can breastfeed your baby in the most successful, healthy way possible.

We also utilize valuable tools to assess:

The quality of your breast milk and milk transfer

Maternal and infant nutrition

Postpartum depression

Latch

Baby positioning

Nipple and breast problems

Milk supply and supplementation options

We'll also discuss different options for maintaining milk supply for working moms or any time mom and baby are separated.

Finally we'll develop a care plan specific to your needs to ensure you have a fulfilling breastfeeding experience with your newborn.

Support System Education

Studies have shown that the people closest to the breastfeeding mother have the biggest impact on her success. We offer expert education for those closest to you, so you can be supported emotionally and physically during this most critical experience.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

Exclusive breastfeeding is when the infant receives only breast milk. No other liquids are given, not even water, unless otherwise advised by a pediatrician or nurse. Exclusive breastfeeding has many other benefits as well.

Protects against infection- baby receives special antibodies and proteins through mother's milk

What do the experts say?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) outlines 15 recommended breastfeeding practices and statements made by pediatricians promoting and protecting breastfeeding. They also recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life and continue for at least a year, thereafter.

World Health Organization (WHO) states, "Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers. As a global public health recommendation, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond. Exclusive breastfeeding from birth is possible except for a few medical conditions, and unrestricted exclusive breastfeeding results in ample milk production."

American Dietetic Association states, "The advantages of extended breastfeeding include nutritional, immunological and psychological benefits to both infant and mother, as well as economic and environmental benefits. Breastfeeding education efforts and clinical management must highlight the importance of breastfeeding for a longer duration to receive the full range of benefits for both mother and infant." and "Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and breastfeeding with complementary foods for at least 12 months is the ideal feeding pattern for infants."

Unicef states, "The aim is to create an environment globally that empowers women to begin skin-to-skin with her baby and breastfeed after birth, to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months and to continue to breastfeed for two years or more with age appropriate, responsive complementary feeding."